Improvement in apparatus for lighting and extinguishing gas automatically



A. P. BELL & 8a T.. THORP.

s A. .G G N. I .H .s I U G N I m... X E D N .A G N I T H G I .L R o F S ...U T A. R. A P D.. A

AUTOMATICALLY.

Paten-ned Aug.1,1a7e.

N.PETEHS. FHOTo-LTHOGHAPHER, wASHxNGToN. D. C.

UNITED STATES PASTE ASAHEL P. BELL, OF

MANCHESTER, AND THOMAS THORP, OF WHTTEFIELD, NEAR MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS AUTOIVIATICALLY.

Specification forming part 'of Letters Patent No. I 80,526, dated August 1, 1876 application filed J une 7, 1876.

To allfwhom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AsAHEL PILKINGTON BELL, of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, architect, and THOMAS THORP, of Whitefield, near Manchester, England, aforesaid, architect, have invented a new and useful Improved Apparatus for Lighting and Extinguishing Gas Automatically; and we hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawing, forming part of this specification.

The nature of our invention consists in a new and improved apparatus for lighting and extinguishing gas-lamps automatically by the difference in pressure in the gas-mains.

Figure l is a plan of the apparatus, with the bell removed. Fig. 2 is a plan, with the bell and center-piece removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation through the line A A in Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is another sectional elevation through the line B B in Fig. 2.

a is a metal cap, secured to the gas-main, and a is wool or other fibrous material to act as a llter for the gas. b is a receptacle, made of earthenware, or other suitable material containing mercury, the level of which is regulated through the hole b1. (See Fig. 3.) The gas from th main passes into the receptacle b through the vertical holes b2, all of which may be left open, or some may be closed according to the differences of pressure in the gas-main. The horizontal passages b3 are to allow the mercury to pass from the outer to y the inner chambers of the receptacle b. The

I, centerpiece c fits in a recess in the receptacle j b. The center-piece containsa chamber, c1, for

` mercury, and this chamber has an orifice,

g' above which is the hollow cylinder d, and a second orifice, in which the burner 6,' for the aring-jet, is xed. At the lower side, and

in the center of the piece c, is the pipe-mouth valve c2, through which the gas passes into the tubef, which is provided with the ordinary burner f. The hollow cylinder4 d is fixed to a metal shell suspended to the burner f by the wire d', and a loop of platinum wire, connected thereto, is carried over the burner. Near the flaring-jet burner e, and the tube j', is the small burner g, above which is the coil of platinum wire h. This burnerg is always in communication with the gas in the main, and if the gas from the burner g is put out by accident it will be instantly rcignited by the heated platinum lwire L. The partition t' is placed between the cylinder d and the burners, as shown in Fig. l. 'The whole apparatus is protected by the bell J, which is also made of porcelain or other suitable material, and the lower edge of the bell is perforated to admit air to support the combustion of the burners c and g. The bell J is connected to the receptacle b by a bayonet-joint, so that it may be easily removed to examine or repair the parts.v

The mode of operation is as follows, and

the drawing, Fig. 3,*represents the parts in the t positions they occupy when the. pressure of gas is at its maximumhan'd the gas from the top burner fis alight; whereas in Fig. 4 the y the aperture@13 to the burnar e, and this por tion of gas is then ignited by the jet g and platinum wire h. The flaring jet from the burner e then ighites the gas issuing from the burner f. the wire d' passing through the flame the inclosed air expands and expels the mercury, which falls into the chamber cl and closes the aperture c3, and shuts off the gas from the burner e.

As soon as the pressure in the gas-main is reduced, the mercury rises in the center of the receptacle b and closes the valve c2, thereby extinguishing the light; the cylinder d then cools, and a partial vacuum is formed within. A portion of the mercury from the chamber c1 then rises into the cylinder, asy shown in Fig. 4, thereby uncovering the passage c3 to admit the gas to the Haring-up burner c, when the pressure in the main is sufficiently increased to open the valve c2. It' the flame from the When the cylinder d is heated by burner f should be extinguished by a gust of wind, or other accident, the cylinder (Z will become cool, as above described, and When cool the mercury rises within it to uncover the aperture ci. A portion of gas then oWs to the tlaringup burner c, which is ignited bythe burner g and platinum Wire 71 thereby igniting,` the `Lgas from the burner f', as before deseri b ed.

By means of this invention the whole of the. lamps in any district may be lit at night and extinguished in the morning; automatically,

tively arranged as herein set forth, for thc purpose specified.

2. The center-piece having the mercurychamber c1 and openingV c3, in combination with the main burner-tube fand the jet-burner c, as and for the purpose specied.

3. The combination ot' outer vessel b, having a series of bottom openings, b2, and passages b3, and containing,` mercury, with the pipe-mouth valve c2, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the outer detachable casing` or shell J, having air-inlet openings at the bottom, and burner-openings at the top, with the bottom vessel b, center-piece c, and burner f, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereto set our hands before two subscribing Witnesses.

ASAHEL PlLKINGTON BELL. THOMAS THORP.

y Witnesses:

H. B. BARLOW, Riom). HUGHES,

Both of Ilanchester. 

